TURNING THE PAGE: A READING FOCUS SHIFT

In a classroom tucked into a lower-level corner of Poplar Creek Elementary, teacher Ashley Hurab’s kindergarteners sound out and spell short, three- and four-letter words their teacher reads aloud to them. They focus on consonant clusters, and one student excitedly shares that if you take the “n” out of “bend”, you are left with the word “bed”. Mrs. Hurab flashes a big smile.

Across town at Elmwood Elementary, fourth-grade teacher Jennifer Call is in the middle of a reading lesson about geology. Her students define durability and sedimentary, among other vocab words. They discuss the root word “morph” in metamorphic and analyze the cause and effect related to certain rock types and formations.

The School District of New Berlin is in its implementation year of a new curriculum, but it is not just the curriculum that has changed for students, staff and families. After years of study, the district is focused on an entirely new evidence- and research-based reading methodology.

The SDNB has invested in the “Science of Reading”, a vast interdisciplinary body of scientifically based research about reading and issues related to reading and writing. It focuses on phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. It is part of a massive overhaul of the district’s entire English Language Arts program, a move that has required years of planning.

For a long time we were happy with our level of success ... But we couldn’t get past, ‘Is good, good enough?’ And quite simply, the answer is ‘No’.